Cucumbers and Fairytales
by Regardless1604
Summary: For swingdancers23's Dares Forum. Dare: Crack Pairings. My ship: MaryxKappa!


**Like the summary said, this is for swingdancer23's Dares Forum. The dare: CRACK COUPLES! My target: Mary and Kappa! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon.**

**Cucumbers and Fairytales**

Mary sighed as she looked around the large field. He hadn't shown up for their picnic… again. He kept on cancelling—Mary wasn't sure she would ever find "the right guy." She just had to face it—she was a hopeless romantic. Years of love stories and romance novels had worn off on her personality, and talk about "true love" or "love at first sight" always made her heart feel all fluttery.

Even the classic fairytales brought her reminiscent joy—ones like _Snow White_, _Sleeping Beauty_, or _Cinderella_. Mary knew that someday her prince would come too—but the question was: when? When would she find her glass slipper; when would her Once Upon a Time start and Happily Ever After begin? How long would she have to wait? She was already twenty-five, and she was secretly haunted with thoughts of "_What if I never find love_?"

Her parents—actually, it was mainly Anna—were constantly trying to find a man to hook their daughter up with. Her mother often stated that it was unhealthy for her to be unmarried at this age. In five years, she may never find the right man!

That was downright frightening to Mary. She couldn't imagine living on without a 'sweetie,' 'honey,' or 'dear heart' of her own. Oh, what would she do?

The librarian looked at her watch one last time before packing up the blanket, picnic basket, and umbrella. He should have been there a half hour ago. Maybe he was just running late? _No_, Mary chided herself. _You're just trying to make yourself feel better. Maybe… maybe he's just not the right guy_.

The librarian sighed deeply through her nose and shut her eyes tight, trying to keep her mix of emotions inside: fear, frustration, maybe a little anger… and despair. Despair was definitely mixed into that swirling pool.

Trying not to concentrate on her disappointment, Mary looked at the crest of Mother's Hill, the cliff that always hung on the horizon of Mineral Town. The Springtime scenery was beautiful—the lush meadow, sweet-scented flowers, the limpid waters of the lake. Maybe sticking around wouldn't be so bad, even if she had no one with her. The landscape could give her some inspiration for a poem she was writing about Spring… Yeah! That would be good!

So, after fishing a sandwich out of the basket, she started walking, feeling the rhythm of nature pulsing through her. The batting of a butterfly's wing here, a blue jay's call there, the sound of a far off waterfall rumbling like distant thunder in the background. The simple sight was breathtaking, almost _magical_. Mary could almost imagine the trees in the forest bending towards her, beckoning for the fair maiden to come into the enchanted realm. She continued past the dark, towering trees, and started walking along the bank of the lake.

She could almost hear a roar come from Mother's Hill, where a dragon protected his treasure, tucked away in a secret cave. The clouds were flying ships, sailing through the blue sky like sailboats on a vast ocean of blue.

Mary tore off a piece her sandwich and popped it into her mouth. As she chewed steadily, she imagined the thundering of horse hooves, and her very own Prince Charming coming to sweep her away into his arms, away to his castle where they would live happily ever after. She stopped herself, mid-thought. _Come now, Mary, that's the stuff of fantasy, not reality. Get your act together, and maybe you'll find a good guy._

It hurt, but Mary forced herself to realize that there was no such thing as magic, no enchanted creatures, no _Prince Charming_. She was too old for childish fantasies. A tear slipped from eye as she looked at her reflection in the lake. She looked so mature, smart, grown-up; but inside, she still had the heart of a child.

She growled in frustration and spoke her thoughts aloud. "Why can't I just act my age? Why can't I grip the fact that there is no such thing as happily ever afters, no such thing as magic, no such thing as—AGH!" Mary's line of thought was cut off when her foot hit a rock she hadn't seen before and lurched toward the lake. She threw herself backwards, catching herself just in time, but her sandwich hadn't been so lucky. It sent ripples across the smooth water as it plopped into the lake.

Mary got onto her hands and knees and looked over the bank. Her reflection still stared back at her, but it started changing. She squinted as her face turned green and completely morphed into… something. She scrambled backwards as the green face came out of the water, and stared at her with beady black eyes.

"Oh gosh…" She sucked in a breath as it started talking.

"Who, visiting Kappa?" The thing tilted its head and pulled a soggy sandwich out of the water. "Kappa, likes cucumbers!" He picked the sandwich apart, and ate the green slices out of it.

Mary blinked. "A-are… are _you_ Kappa…?"

"Yes, and Kappa, likes cucumbers!"

"Cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches?"

Kappa scowled. "No, Kappa, does not, like cream of cheese. Only, cucumbers."

Mary sat back, a little more comfortably. _And to think I was just telling myself how magical creatures don't exist…_ Her thoughts started racing. _Could… could everything I've ever dreamed of be… _real_?_

She tilted her head, and started asking questions. "Kappa, are you a river spirit? I've read about things like you, but I never thought they were _real_."

Kappa crossed his arms, looking very dismayed. "No one, believes in, Kappa, anymore. No one, thinks Kappa, is here. No one, brings him, cucumbers anymore…"

Mary felt like her heart would melt with pity at how sad the creature looked, and a pang went through her. "Kappa… _I_ believe in you." She said softly.

"Kappa, doesn't scare, you?"

"Of course not!" Mary said, surprised. "Meeting a real river spirit like you… this is unbelievable!"

Kappa shrank back. "You, don't believe, in Kappa?"

"Huh? Oh… I mean, not unbelievable, but, er… amazing! It's amazing!" Mary exclaimed.

Kappa smiled, his green skin shining in the noonday sun. Mary felt an instant connection to the creature, like she was meant to find it. No, meant to find _him_. Kappa wasn't an _it_. It was an exhilarating feeling—but that passed, as soon as Mary realized no one would believe her about Kappa.

Her face must have been crestfallen too, because Kappa looked up at her curiously. "Why is, pretty girl, sad? Is… is pretty girl, sad with, Kappa?"

Her disappointment was automatically replaced by embarrassment, and she tried to push down the blush that was daring to creep up on her face. "P-pretty? I mean… I'm just sad at… life. Life is a sad thing for me right now."

"Life, always sad, for Kappa." The lake creature said sadly. "No one, loves Kappa, anymore…"

Mary was compelled to tell him that she loved him, but she decided against it. She had just met him! "Kappa," She said slowly. "How about… how about we become friends? I'll visit you every day, and then you'll have someone who loves you."

He looked at her with an unsure light in his eyes. "People, tell Kappa, that before, but… no one, ever stays, friends with, Kappa."

She felt terrible, but the librarian tried for her most reassuring voice. This was the chance of a lifetime! "I promise I'll always be friends with you—and I don't break my promises."

It took a moment, but Kappa finally smiled. "Yes, Kappa, and pretty girl, be friends."

"Mary," She said suddenly. "My name is Mary."

"…Mary." Kappa repeated. "Kappa and _Mary_, be friends, forever."

She smiled back at the creature. It was a weird feeling that was fluttering in her heart—could it be love? Hah, maybe. Mary decided that this "friendship" would be good, and as silly as it may sound—regardless that she was human, and he was, well, _not_—maybe… maybe Kappa would turn out to be her very own Frog Prince.

**A/N: Mushy and a bit rushed, right? Sorry about that, but I'm sooo busy with my writing right now... I tried to get Kappa to speak like he does in the game, with all the extra commas, but I haven't played FoMT in such a looong time... Oh, and good luck to everyone else doing this dare, and may the Harvest goddess be with you.**


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